


Takin' Care Of Business

by flyingorfalling



Series: Being Your Mother [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AU, F/M, Fluff, Mom!Pepper, Post-Endgame, Stark Industries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-09-01 12:48:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20258359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flyingorfalling/pseuds/flyingorfalling
Summary: Pepper brings her daughter to work.





	1. Welcome To My World

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to split this in two because it's a bit much. Also, a friendly reminder that I'm not a native to English so this won't be the most accurate and detailed piece of writing <strike>that I want it to be</strike> simply because I'm missing the vocabulary and skills.
> 
> I don't know a thing about Tony's nano tech and could be horribly wrong as to how that shit works, but trying to create a prosthetic arm that looks like it was made of flesh and feels that way too is what he's keeping himself busy with besides farming and being the perfect househusband and dad. I'm sorry I do make the rules.

Tony stepped into the shower behind her, his soft skin merging with Pepper’s as he enveloped her with his muscular arms. He brushed his lips ever so slightly across her temple, her cheek, the side of her throat. Then he began to nuzzle her neck with a feathering motion that drew a sigh from her, a current of pleasure sent down her spine.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he breathed, running his large hands down her thigh.

The cold metal of Tony’s bionic arm made her shiver, but she didn’t flinch. She was so used to it now; amazed by how gentle the touch of his hand was, almost as if it was still made of flesh. One day, Tony would have figured out a way to use nano tech to create an arm that didn’t even feel like metal anymore, let alone look like it. She was certain of that. He was already working on it, in fact. But Pepper had told him she loved him just the way he was. He was alive, that was all that mattered.

“Hey,” she whispered, her fingers sliding over the cool metal and over the line where the titanium ended and he began.

She heard his breath catch in his throat, and she smiled, turning around to face him. Pepper kept her eyes closed as drops of water poured through her mane, just feeling his fingers skimming across her flesh. He brushed back her hair with a touch as soft as snowflakes and cupped her cheeks with both hands. She slowly opened her eyes and cast her gaze upward. Tony’s smile was so full of tenderness that it was like being kissed; a smile so beguiling, it tripped her heartbeat to a breathless pace.

“Ready for your big day?”

“This day is a day like every other workday, honey,” she answered, smiling.

“But you’ll finally introduce our daughter to your world. That must be exciting for you.” Tony wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him, and she buried her face against his neck. “I’m so proud of you. For all you do at SI and for charity... and for me. And I know Morgan’s too.”

“You’re my favorite charity case,” she mumbled against his skin, making him giggle.

“She’ll love it, Pep,” he said, stroking her back. “Spending the day with her mama instead of staying home with me.”

“I think she’s more excited to wear one of her daddy’s suits when she’s old enough than to see her mommy boss around her employees.”

Tony laughed softly and tilted her head so he could look at her. “Then why is she already downstairs, waiting for you?”

“She is?”

“Yup! All dolled up in that cute little business outfit you got her.”

“But we didn’t even have breakfast yet,” she said surprised.

“I think she doesn’t care.” Tony chuckled and then gave her a light smack on the butt. “You better hurry. We Starks are very impatient.”

“I know,” Pepper replied, grinning, as she wiggled free of his arms. “I‘m done here anyway.”

“You should never be allowed to take morning showers without me,” he said with a playful pout.

Pressing her breasts against Tony’s chest, Pepper crushed her mouth over his, leaving him gasping for air. “How about I’ll give you a rain check?”

“I’ll swing by your office during lunch break,” he muttered.

She laughed. “While our daughter’s there? I don’t think so.” She stepped out of the shower, brushing her hand across his chest. “Tonight, Tony.” She smirked. “I’ll be all yours tonight.”

“And what am I supposed to do about this—“ he pointed at his erect penis, “now?”

“You got two hands, right? I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

* * *

After gathering her stuff, Pepper went through it one last time to see if she was missing anything, then she turned to her daughter and smiled. “You got your lunchbox?”

Morgan nodded.

”Avengers Hero Inventor Kit? Because board meetings can get kind of boring.”

“Check,” she said with a grin, and added hopefully, “Beet sandwiches?”

“No, honey, I made avocado sandwiches. We had beets yesterday, remember?”

“I don’t want avocado.”

Morgan loved avocado. It was one of her favorites. But those beet sandwiches her mother had made her the day before had been so delicious...

“Beet sandwich! Beet sandwich! Beet sandwich!” she chanted, her Iron Man plush backpack bouncing up and down as she jumped.

“Spoken like a true Stark,” Tony said proudly, coming down the stairs, and patted Morgan‘s head. “And a true daughter of mine.” He looked at his wife with a big grin on his face.

“You say that like it’s a good thing,” Pepper joked and turned to Morgan. “Allons-y, ma petite sirène, we don’t wanna be late.“

“Tardiness is not acceptable in the Potts family,” Tony said amused.

“You’re right, it isn’t,” she told him, grinning.

She kissed her husband goodbye, grabbed her things from the kitchen counter and took her daughter’s hand, leading her toward the car. She would never get used to how small and warm and totally vulnerable Morgan’s hand felt. That girl was her whole world, so grown up but still so fragile. It scared her a little to know that someday she would have to let her walk this earth alone; to not be able to be there for her anymore, every step of the way, to protect her.

“Can I have beet sandwiches tomorrow?”

Pepper chuckled. “Sweetie, you can have beet sandwiches every single day, if you want to, we just don’t have time anymore to make them _today_.”

Morgan smiled happily as she pressed the back of her mother’s hand softly against her mouth.

“What was that for?” Pepper asked, surprised at her child’s tender caress.

The young girl looked up, her smile making her eyes shine. “Thank you.”

“You wanted to thank me?”

She nodded.

“For giving you what you want?” Pepper grinned.

Morgan giggled. “Thank you for taking me to work and making sandwiches and being my mommy.”

“All those things?”

Morgan hopped in the car once her mother had opened the door for her, and Pepper secured her in the car seat, dropping a kiss to her forehead.

“That’s so sweet, but you really don’t have to thank me, especially not for being your mommy,” she said, smiling. “Because being your mommy is my favorite thing in the world.”

“I want to be a mommy, too.”

Pepper laughed. “Please don’t let your father hear that,” she mumbled, closing the door and getting into the driver’s seat. “He’s already having a hard time thinking about you dating.”

The answering giggle was lilting for a girl Morgan’s size. She had an infectious giggle. Pepper knew all mothers said that, but hers really was. When her daughter cried, though, it was a fingernail down the blackboard of Pepper’s soul. She could hardly bear seeing her cry.

* * *

Pepper parked her Audi in her reserved parking spot for executives at the front of the building and helped Morgan out of the car.

“Now, remember what we talked about. Stay close to me and don’t touch anything you’re not supposed to,” she reminded her daughter.

“Because of the scary machines?”

“Yes, I don’t want you to get hurt.”

The security guard took casual note of them when they entered the building, and Morgan instantly gripped her mother’s hand so tightly it almost stopped the blood flow. Pepper looked down and saw Morgan clinging to her leg. She could read her daughter’s body language easily—the way she tensed up when she was afraid.

“It’s okay, hon,” she said, “That’s just Tommy, our security guard.” She looked at him, and he smiled at her as though he was trying to apologize for scaring the little girl. “I know he looks like a dangerous man, but he’s a really sweet guy, aren’t you, Tommy?”

Tommy crouched down in front of Pepper’s daughter. “And you must be Morgan. It’s so nice to meet you.” Giving her a gentle smile, he ran a hand over Morgan’s arm. “I’m sorry I scared you. I just need to look scary, so no one comes in here to hurt your mommy. You know, like, a bad guy.”

Morgan peeked out from behind her mother’s legs. “You’re protecting Mommy?”

“Yes,” he answered. “It’s my job to make sure your mother always comes home to you after work.”

“Daddy protects Mommy, too,” she said, finally stepping forward.

“Your mommy must be a very important person then,” Tommy noted, grinning.

Morgan nodded her head and looked up at Pepper, who was smiling at her. Then she stared back at the man in front of her and said, “Thank you for your service.”

He chuckled. “You’re welcome, kiddo. Now you have a good day.” Tommy stood up. “And lots of fun.”

She giggled and started tugging at her mother’s hand, urging her to move. “Let’s go, Mommy!”

They crossed the lobby and stopped at the front desk so Pepper could introduce her to another employee.

“This right here is Ian.”

“Good morning, Mrs. Stark,” the secretary welcomed her, and a smile touched the corner of his lips.

He was a bubbly young guy in his late twenties, who, according to Tony, had a major crush on her—Pepper never doubted this could be true. It was obvious that Ian was infatuated with her, and she had to admit, she liked it. It was nice coming into work every day and seeing that huge smile on the boy’s face. And she liked detecting a proprietorial air about Tony whenever her husband accompanied her to business events where Ian was present, the words ‘my wife’ being mentioned countless times.

“Good Morning,” Pepper returned his smile before shifting her gaze to Morgan. “Ian makes sure that everyone who enters this building gets all the info he or she needs. Say, someone wants to know on which floor my office is, then Ian is the guy who tells that person where to find me. He also receives information about any of our customers and passes this on to the correct department within the company.”

The child waved at Ian with a smile, shouting, “Hi,” and he waved back at her, doing the same.

“Will you stay with us all day?” he asked, and she nodded her head.

Pepper smiled. “I’m off early today, because we have a family thing later, so I thought this might be the best day to take her with me.”

“That’s nice,” Ian said, smiling, and looked at the little girl. “What are you doing with your mom and dad this afternoon, Morgan? Anything exciting?”

“Yes,” she answered, “We’re going to the beach.”

“That sounds like it will be a lot of fun. Here, take this!” Ian stuck a hand into his pocket and pulled out a lime green sucker. Morgan’s eyes widened with surprise.

“Thank you,” she squealed, taking the lollipop from him.

“I forgot to tell you, Ian is also the one who always keeps some candy in his pockets to cheer people up,” Pepper said, laughing. “Now, come on.”

They entered the elevator and Pepper let Morgan push the button. She loved to see the proud look on her daughter’s face whenever she got to do something she considered to be a sign that she was finally grown-up.

“Mommy?”

“Yes, bébé?”

“Why don’t you fly up to the floor with your suit?”

Pepper bit down on her bottom lip, trying hard not to laugh. “You mean with my Rescue suit?”

“I know you can fly with it and the elevator takes so long... Why do you not use the suit?”

“This is a great question, but honey, I—“

“Do you not like the suit Daddy made for you?”

“No, sweetie, I love it,” she answered, smiling. “It was a beautiful gift, but, you know, we only use our suits when we are fighting.” She paused. She really didn’t like the thought of ever having to fight another battle where a suit would be needed. “And sometimes we use it when we‘re helping with construction work or something like that. I don’t use it to get around, because I feel way more comfortable using my own two legs. I love walking and running, and I love driving my car and flying with a plane. I can do without a suit.”

“Can _I_ have a suit?”

“Maybe some day, you will,” she replied, hoping Morgan would not make a scene. She knew how much her daughter wanted to have her own suit, but she still hadn’t warmed up to the idea of her baby girl following in her husband’s footsteps. It was too soon.

Morgan smiled. “Really?”

“Yeah, maybe,” Pepper said, and quickly changed the subject. “So, how do you like it here so far? Are you still excited about today?”

“I think Ian really likes you... Like Daddy.”

“You think Ian likes me as much as Daddy does?” Pepper grinned. “What makes you think that?”

Morgan’s face instantly lit up with a huge smile, and it took Pepper a second to realize that her daughter was mocking the front desk secretary, copying his smile as best as she could. She laughed out loud, shaking her head at the child who was so undeniably taking after Tony.

“Does it bother you if someone smiles or looks at me the way your daddy does?” Smiling, she studied the fascinating brown eyes, staring up at her.

“No,” Morgan answered. “It’s okay. You are so pretty! I think he is not the only man who is in love with you.”

She quickly covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a giggle, and Pepper ruffled her hair, laughing.

“You’re just like your Daddy. He makes fun of Ian, too.”


	2. Team Pepper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I say split in two? I meant three... Whoops!
> 
> Thank you for the lovely comments :")
> 
> Just a lil side note: I embrace the headcanon of Morgan's middle name being Hope.

The elevator doors slowly opened on the floor where her office was located, and the face of Pepper’s assistant greeted them as soon as they entered the reception area.

“Good morning, Jenna,” Pepper said, smiling, as she stepped into the hallway. “You look a bit distressed. What’s up?”

“Oh God, I don’t even know where to begin.”

“Well, then think about it and get back to me when you do,” Pepper replied with a smirk.

Morgan giggled softly at Jenna’s stunned face. She loved to see that everyone she had met so far seemed to stand in awe of her mother. And she admired her just like everyone else did, wished she were old enough already to have what she had. She couldn’t wait to carry on her mother’s work.

“Morgs? Please meet Jenna, my personal assistant.“ Pepper looked down at Morgan and smiled. “She does what I used to do for your father.”

“She tells you what you have to do?”

“No, honey, that’s...” Pepper laughed. “Well, you’re not exactly wrong, but it’s a little different. Unlike your father who didn’t know the first thing about managing personal and business life, _I_ already know what I have to do. It’s just that Jenna’s helping me—“

“I’m here to relieve your mom from the stress,” Jenna told the kid. “Because, you know, even though your mama knows what she has to do, it can be a bit stressful to manage everything. So, I look out for her. I bring her coffee or food, and I schedule meetings for her. I make sure the private jet’s ready when she needs to travel. I reserve hotel rooms and rental cars. I remember birthdays for her, like the birthdays of people she works with, so she doesn’t get into trouble. I answer some of her phone calls, write emails, and I take notes when she tells me something... or even when she doesn’t tell me _anything_. I do all that stuff that your mother is too busy for.” Jenna smiled. “Though she could do my job as well if she wanted to, because your mom is a freaking powerhouse.”

Jenna noticed the sense of pride passing over the steady curiosity of Morgan’s eyes fastened on her face. She looked at Pepper, smiling at the woman she considered more of a friend than her boss, and stared back at the little girl, who was beaming with pride now.

“Mommy can do everything,” Morgan said proudly, a soft giggle escaping her mouth.

“I don’t know about that, sweetie, but I’m trying to do everything the best I can,” Pepper responded, chuckling. “So, what is it you so desperately needed to tell me, Jenna?”

Jenna frowned. “Oh, right... One sec.” She quickly checked her notes, then looked back at Pepper. “I need you to call Bronx Arts and Science asap, ‘cause the Smart Boards we were supposed to give them _yesterday_ had a malfunction.”

“All of them?”

“We had 500 of them delivered, but something‘s wrong. Maybe it’s the hardware, I don’t know. I sent the tech unit over to check it out, but you really need to talk to them. They were counting on us, and you know they have this big ass event on Friday...” She cast a quick glance at Morgan. “Did I just say...? I’m sorry. Bad word, Mo.” Morgan giggled. “It looks like they can’t do _anything_ until we’ve figured this out.”

”We’re running their entire digital classroom response systems. If those Smart Boards aren’t working, there might be something wrong with the whole set-up.” Pepper sighed. “I’m gonna call the school administrator right away. Let me know if our guys can solve this or I’ll have to call Tony.” She looked at Morgan. “This is how Mommy loves to start her day.”

“Uh, Pep? There’s more,” Jenna said meekly. Her expression looked slightly worried as if she knew the other thing would upset Pepper even more.

“What?”

“The speech you ought to give at the International Conference on Reducing Violence Against Women is scheduled for another day.”

“But not —“

“Yes, I’m afraid so.”

“But it’s my wedding anniversary. I can’t... I’m... We booked... I _can’t_!”

She was appointed an UN Women Goodwill Ambassador only about a year ago, and she loved being a special envoy. Her efforts were geared towards raising awareness on the infringement of women’s human rights around the world, with a particular focus on putting a spotlight on violence against women. Tony, on the other hand, helped to focus attention on environmental issues with the launch of an organization committed to using advanced technologies for the good of the environment.

“Well, I think your man would love nothing more than to boast about his wife in a room full of politicians and A-listers, _especially_ on the anniversary of his wedding, but I understand why this would be rather inconvenient.”

“Is there any way I can reschedule?”

“I told the executive director of UN Women she’ll hear back from you to talk things over, but I don’t know, Pep. It didn’t sound like you can. I’m sorry.”

Heaving a sigh, Pepper closed her eyes for a moment and pinched the bridge of her nose with thumb and forefinger to stave off her headache. It was a habit she’d affected. It really did nothing for her headache, but she found herself doing it more and more at work lately. When she looked at her daughter, she noticed that Morgan still seemed surprisingly interested in all the boring work stuff they talked about. Pepper smiled, and the little girl smiled back, her small hand slipping into her mother’s.

“Relax, Mommy,” she said. “Everything will be okay. You just need to breathe.”

Pepper’s smile instantly grew bigger, her eyes glazing in a look of ineffable love and admiration for the kind and gentle human being that was her daughter. Morgan’s sensitivity to other people’s feelings, to the subtlest nuances of tone, was like her very own superpower, her high level of empathy something Tony and Pepper were incredibly proud of.

She squeezed her daughter’s hand affectionately, rolling her thumb over her knuckles, and said, “Thank you, my baby.” Morgan wrapped herself around her mother’s legs, and Pepper bent to pick her up. “God, you’re getting heavy,” she remarked, chuckling, and the girl giggled. While she twined her arms and legs around Pepper like a monkey, Pepper buried her face in her daughter’s mass of wavy hair. “I’m really happy you’re here with me today,” she whispered.

“Uh... Okay... I guess I will... I’ll see you girls later,” Jenna stammered, feeling like her presence was disturbing the intimate moment between a mother and her child. Pepper didn’t even look at her when she said thank you, but Jenna could hear the smile through her voice.

“Are you ready to meet Allie?”

“Who’s Allie?” Morgan asked, pulling away to look at her mother.

“She’s my receptionist, and one of my favorite people,” Pepper answered, as she walked over to her friend, carrying her daughter, her portfolio business case held in one hand. “She takes my calls and welcomes anyone who enters this floor, and she has been _dying_ to meet you.”

As soon as she spotted them, Allie threw her head back and flung her arms up in the air, shouting, ”Listen up! Morgan Stark is in da house!”

Morgan laughed. “Hi,” she said, a small, almost coy smile crossing her lips.

“I’ve heard so many stories about you, girl, it’s really nice to finally meet you in person.” Allie smiled. “Are you here to learn about your mother’s business?”

“I met Tommy and Ian and Jenna, and now Mommy is showing me her office,” she answered. “And I saw the big letters with our name outside.”

“That’s right. It stays Stark,” Allie said, chuckling. “Did you also see your mom’s pictures in the lobby?”

Morgan nodded, grinning proudly.

“She doesn’t like to show off with how many famous people she met, and how many awards she’s received, but your daddy likes to show _her_ off,” Allie quipped. “And I think it’s great, because your mom totally deserves—“

“I just don’t like to be the focus of attention when everything we do here is a big team effort,” Pepper interjected, a smirk on her face. “And that’s what I keep telling my dear husband every time he hangs up another one of these pictures, but I tell him _that_, and he just shouts ‘Team Pepper’ at me, so I let this man do whatever he wants to do. I kinda always have.” She laughed.

”Team Pepper,” Morgan mumbled, giggling. “My team!”

“We’re all on that team, honey. Believe me,” Allie said, laughing. “And most people who call me here also want to join Team Pepper.”

”What do you say?” Morgan asked curiously.

“Well, whenever the phone rings I answer it and say, ‘Stark Industries, Pepper Potts’ office, this is Allie. What can I do for you?’ And when I know what the person wants, I put the call through to your mother’s office so they can speak to the boss.”

“That’s it?”

“Yep, that’s basically my job.”

“Wow, Mommy, I could do that!” she exclaimed.

“I bet you could,” Pepper said with a chuckle.

“Only a few people call your mom’s office directly, like—“

“Daddy?”

“Yes, although he usually calls her on her cell phone.”

“Taylor Swift?”

“I’m sure Taylor has your mom’s number. Beyoncé, too,” Allie answered, looking at Pepper, both of them grinning.

Pepper put Morgan down, pulling the backpack off her shoulder, and said, “Mommy has to make a very important call right now. Can you stay with Allie for just a few minutes, sweetheart?”

“You can help me shred some papers.”

“I’m not allowed to touch the scary machines,” Morgan replied.

“You are if someone’s watching you,” Pepper told her, stroking her head. “I take your stuff with me. I won’t be long, I promise.” She disappeared into her office, locking the door behind her.

Allie handed Morgan a few sheets of paper, and since she was too small to reach the shredder, she lifted her up on top of the filing cabinet. She helped her with the shredder, and they laughed, giggled, talked and played the whole time until the door opened and Pepper poked her head out.

”This is fun, Mommy!” Morgan smiled, and Pepper smiled back at her.

“Do you want to see my office now?” she asked, and her daughter squealed with excitement, as she jumped from the cabinet and landed solidly on her feet.

“Bye, Allie,” Morgan said, as she pushed past Pepper. The moment she walked through the door, she gasped, her gaze darting up to make eye contact with her mother before taking in minor details all over the room.

The office was spacious, with a big modern glass desk that supported a telephone-intercom system and a large flat-screened monitor, a low coffee table set between two comfortable three seater settees for visitors, and four grey colored filing cabinets which sat against the door wall. It also included built-in bookshelves, a fully stocked bar with refrigerator and a wall-mounted flat-screen TV. The window walls of Pepper’s office were glazed from floor to ceiling to maximize daylight, offering a spectacular view over the City skyline.

“Do you like it?” Pepper had to grin at her daughter’s obvious surprise.

“It is so big!” Morgan‘s eyes widened as she held out her arms to indicate the size of the room, making her mother laugh. Rushing forward, she cupped her hands over one of the large windows and tapped her forehead against the pane. “The people look like ants,” she noticed, giggling.

Pepper walked over to her and laid her hand on Morgan’s back, rubbing it gently. “Yeah, the world seems really small from up here,” she mumbled.

”Mommy, I have a question,” Morgan said, looking up.

“You know you can ask me anything you want.”

“When Allie answers the phone she says your name is Potts, but Ian said your name is Stark, and I heard Daddy call you Mrs. Stark, too.”

“It’s confusing to you, isn’t it?”

She nodded.

Crouching down to get to her level and be able to look into her eyes, Pepper tried to explain to her, “When I married your father I took his name, because sharing it with him means so much to me. He wanted to take mine, but I care about him so deeply and about the history we have together that I couldn’t imagine _not_ becoming Mrs. Stark. I love to be his missus.” Her face lit up with a smile, thinking about the very first time she signed a document with that name—their marriage certificate. “But here at work, I like to be Pepper Potts.”

“You don’t like it when people call you Mrs. Stark?”

“No, baby,” she said, chuckling. “Being called Mrs. Stark still excites me in exactly the same way as when your daddy first called me that, but I have spent more than a decade building up a professional identity and reputation and I didn’t want to cast that off. So, I’m doing business under my maiden name, Pepper Potts. It’s like a brand. You know, like Walt Disney or Burger King. I have always used that name and people are very familiar with it. I didn’t want to change it. Does that make sense to you at all?”

She frowned. “Can I be Morgan Potts today?”

Pepper laughed softly and stroked her thumb across her daughter’s cheekbone slowly and gently. “What do Daddy and I always tell you?”

“I can be anyone I want to be.”

“Exactly,” Pepper said, smiling, before pecking her on the lips. “You have always been a Potts, Morgan Hope Stark, and you always will be.”

She gave her mother a brilliant smile and leaned over to hug her. “I love you, Mommy,” she whispered, her small arms wrapped tightly around Pepper’s neck.

“I love you too, darling,” she whispered back, sighing contentedly as she snuggled her daughter close to her chest.


	3. The Art Of Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing these fics makes me really emotional. Your comments make crying over Pepperony all worth it tho. Sadly this is the end, but there'll be more of mom!Pepper soon.

“Hey, have you looked at the paintings on the wall yet?”

Morgan pulled back and shook her head.

“Then maybe you should.”

“Why?”

“Just look,” Pepper said, chuckling.

She went to look at the pictures her mother had on the wall in her office, didn’t pay much attention to the first few pieces of artwork that caught her eye. But then she stopped, staring at a canvas hanging near the door.

“You know what this is?” Pepper came to stand next to her, her finger pointing at the name in the bottom right corner of the drawing. “Look what it says.”

“My name.” Morgan gazed at her mother, a little confused.

“It’s a finger painting you did when you were just a baby.” She led Morgan to another side of the office. “And this is a crayon picture of a fish living in the ocean. You drew that when you were one year old.” Smiling, Pepper stroked her daughter’s head, and then called her attention to another picture. The child’s scribbled drawing showed a variety of flowers in a garden and a lake in the background. “You and Daddy made this together.”

“The drawings are mine?”

“Yes, honey,” Pepper answered. “I framed all of them and hung them on this wall. And they always put a smile on my face when I look at them, especially when I’m having a bad day.”

“This is Gerald!” Morgan squeaked, as she spotted a 3D artwork.

Pepper laughed. “I wanted to do a lamb with you, but you insisted we make an alpaca, so I cut a basic pattern for an alpaca’s body out of construction paper and you covered one side of the form with paste and then we put on the cotton balls.” She scooped her daughter up in her arms. “Feel it. It’s so soft.”

Morgan patted the cotton, smiling from ear to ear as she looked at her mother. ”Can we do this again?”

“Anytime, sweetie. You know how much I love making art with you.” Pepper put her down. “Look around the office, see what else you like. If you need anything from your backpack, it’s on the sofa.”

Before sitting down at her desk, Pepper walked over to the bar and poured herself a glass of water. Walking back to her desk, she sat down and took a sip, and then began to assemble the papers into some kind of order whilst starting up her computer. She reviewed her emails, finding over twenty messages marked urgent—some people were far too liberal in their use of that little red exclamation point. She found but two actual emergencies. The other emails were just everyday, run-of-the-mill staff and customer panic attacks.

“Mommy, can I try this lipstick?”

“What lipstick, honey?” she asked, not looking up.

“I found it in a drawer and it’s so pretty.” She held out her hand to show it to her.

“Of course you can—“ As Pepper looked up from her computer, she gasped at the sight of what she was seeing, and her eyes grew wide with shock. “No!”

“Why not?”

“This is... Oh my God!”

She took a deep breath, watching her daughter inspect the lipstick, captivated by its bright red color. Morgan touched the soft silicone flex tip that had so often given Pepper the perfect stimulation right where it counted. She noticed little lines crinkling Morgan’s forehead, as the child tried to figure out why rubbing a small amount of lipstick on her finger didn’t stain it like it usually did. Pepper carefully took it from her and put the cap back on.

“This was a gift from your daddy,” she began to explain, “I take it with me whenever I have to go away for a while because of work. And when I miss Daddy too much, I put that lipstick on and I think of him. It makes me feel good.”

Pepper bit her lip and traced the outline with her tongue. She felt like her forehead was reading _No lie detected_ in illuminated letters. That mini vibrator had become a welcome addition to her cosmetics bag on long business trips, the sound of the whisper-quiet motor always drowned out by her loud moans. It had taken her a while to really appreciate her husband’s small gift. Now she couldn’t believe she had rolled her eyes at him at first. The disguised sex toy was a joke present, nothing more, but it was compact and portable—just what she needed when she travelled light—and it always made missing Tony a little easier.

“Do you miss me too when you’re away?” Morgan asked, looking up, her eyes wide-awake but vulnerable, like a puppy's eyes.

Pepper let the lipstick disappear into the pocket of her coat that was draped over the back of the desk chair, then turned to her daughter and held out her arms, smiling. “Viens voir maman, mon bébé.”

The child climbed up into her mother’s lap, and Pepper enveloped her in a hug and rested her chin on Morgan’s head. They sat that way for a moment, huddled together in silence, enjoying each other’s comfort. Pepper closed her eyes and breathed in the perfume of coconut milk shampoo in her daughter's hair. She kissed her head, then put her face to the side of Morgan’s face and brushed her lips across the soft skin of her cheek.

“I always miss you when you’re not with me,” she spoke, quietly, as to not ruin the moment. “When I’m here, in my office, I catch myself staring at the clock all the time, because I just can’t wait to get home to you and Daddy.”

Morgan turned her head to look at her. “Really?”

Pepper nodded, smiling. “You know, the very first time I had to go away on a business trip and couldn’t be with you for a few days, I actually cried. You sat directly in front of the video camera when we skyped, on Daddy’s lap, so I could see your beautiful face, and I started crying, because I missed you so much. I just wanted to hold you in my arms.” She squeezed her gently, kissing her temple. “Like this.”

Morgan giggled softly.

“You were so small.”

“I’m a big girl now.”

“You are,” Pepper said, grinning. “But that doesn’t change the fact that Mommy still loves to cuddle you.” She glanced down as Morgan’s tiny fingers touched her cheek and saw the sparkling brown eyes looking back at her. “I really love my work, and I love that I get to travel to so many beautiful places, trying to make a difference in the world, but getting to come home to you and Daddy is the best part of my job.”

Without saying a word, Morgan gave her mother a long, warm kiss on the cheek, and Pepper felt consumed with a joy that was beyond human understanding. She would give her life for her daughter’s happiness—Tony had done it when he had snapped his fingers to wipe out Thanos and his army, to make sure that their child had a future. He had survived, barely, and Pepper had spent day after day at his bedside fearing the worst. It had brought them closer together as a family, closer than ever. Looking into the eye of death had made them appreciate what they had so much more.

Pepper had always planned things ahead to be prepared rather than lived in the moment. She hadn’t completely let go of the spontaneity of her girlhood, but she had learned to silence her spontaneous feelings so that she could behave in ways expected of her or ways that were appropriate. She had considered everything carefully and rationally to be successful in whatever endeavor she laid hands on, her mind always set on the goal. But ever since Tony had almost been taken away from her, she was trying to live more in the here and now, the present moment of life, and enjoy life as it came—much to Tony’s liking.

Pepper’s gaze fell on the framed wedding picture on her desk. The photo showed her and Tony, standing together closely embraced, her hands cupped around his face, his arms holding her waist, as they kissed. She was wearing a lace dress featuring feminine cap sleeves, and illusion neckline and an open-back, paired with a long tulle veil. He wore a black tuxedo with a white satin shirt, a lilac necktie, and black patent shoes. Both glowed with health and vitality, smiling blissfully into the kiss. But on a portrait meant for two there was an unexpected intruder, an unmistakable and prominent baby bump appearing on the bride. Pepper sighed contentedly. Some days it all still seemed like a dream.

“You look so beautiful, Mommy.” Morgan, who had followed her mother’s gaze, reached over and stroked the picture frame. “I love your dress.”

“Thanks, honey,” Pepper answered, smiling. Then she put her finger on the photo, right where her bump was, and said, “There’s you. You were really excited that day, just like me and Daddy.”

“How do you know?”

”Because I could feel it,” she explained. “I was four months pregnant and there was a flutter inside my tummy, like when someone taps his fingers on a tabletop, and it didn’t stop. It felt like I had butterflies in my stomach.“

Morgan grinned and let out a soft giggle. She couldn’t fathom the concept of birth—that she once fit into her mother’s body—and she loved to hear stories about the time when she was still a baby, or not even born yet.

“Did you like it?”

“I loved it,” Pepper said with a big smile. “It was the very first time I felt you move, and when I told your daddy, he started crying. We both did, because we were so, so happy.”

“Can you have another baby?”

Pepper chuckled. She hadn’t forgotten about the night Morgan had asked her if she could have a brother, and it looked like her daughter was thinking about that a lot lately. She still hadn’t told Tony, but she felt like she knew how he was going to react to it.

“Honey...”

Pepper thought long and hard about an answer, tried to focus more on _if_ she wanted one rather than if it was possible, considering her age—and as she did that, the answer became obvious. Yes. A hundred times yes. She would have all of Tony’s babies.

“I love your daddy so much, and you’re the living proof that we make beautiful babies—“ she gently pinched Morgan’s cheek, “—of course I can imagine having another baby with him. But, you know, your father and I are still coming to terms with everything that’s happened, and I don’t think now’s the right time to—“ She paused, noticing her daughter’s intense stare. “Give Mommy some time, okay? The last few months have been really hard for me, and I’m just glad Daddy’s still alive and—“ She paused again, as she had to swallow the lump that had suddenly risen in her throat, and drew in a deep breath.

Feeling her mother’s inhibition to continue, Morgan flung her arms around her and hugged her, wanting to comfort her. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. She didn’t mean to make her sad. She just loved the idea of seeing her pregnant, of becoming a big sister.

Pepper kissed her head and snuggled her, smiling through the tears she felt burning her eyes. “You have nothing to be sorry for, baby. Sometimes Mommy gets overwhelmed thinking what if we had lost Daddy…”

“And you get sad?”

“Yes,” she answered, “I have nightmares too, but then Daddy takes me into his arms and I’m okay again. I’m still healing, you know? It takes time.”

Morgan nodded. “I’ll help you heal,” she said softly, squeezing her.

“You already do.” Pepper sighed. “You’re helping me a lot.”

She glanced at the right-hand corner of her computer screen where a notification had popped up that the board meeting was about to start. They were going to talk about what could be the next big step for Stark Industries as the world was rebuilding itself after Tony’s snap, and she knew it would probably take a lot longer than expected. But Morgan had insisted on being present, no matter how long it took and how boring it was, and Pepper was proud that her daughter took such a great interest in the company’s day-to-day business.

“Can you please grab your toys, Morgs? It’s time for our meeting.”

Morgan slid from her mother’s lap and went to get the things she had in her backpack that would help keeping her entertained while the grown-ups talked. Then she followed Pepper to the conference room. Pepper pushed open the door and held it for her, and Morgan walked in, letting out an amazed gasped at the size of the room, some thirty by fifty feet.

The west side was lined with large windows, similar to Pepper’s office. Opposite the windows was a long table, stacked high with a lavish array of catered drinks, pastries and fruit. The dominant piece of furniture in the room was a large rectangular glass conference table with a chrome leg frame. Each section was fitted with a flip in-desk power module providing power, data, and multimedia connections. The table itself was set up classroom-style. There was a folder, a notepad, pens, and pencils at each seat.

At the south end of the room was a painting that covered the entire wall: the mural showed the company’s logo at the top while items from the company’s past were painted below, capturing the essence of a dynamic era of technology. Every item symbolized a different technological development in the history of Stark Industries. The painting was like a timeline of everything ever invented under the name Stark, from the arc reactor to the time-space GPS.

“Look, Mommy, there’s Daddy,” Morgan squealed, filled with great pride to see her father’s face painted on the wall, the face of the company. “There’s Daddy!”

Pepper laughed softly, as she ran a hand over Morgan’s head, her fingers combing her hair. Morgan threw herself down on a beanbag chair slouched in one corner of the conference room and arranged her things on her floor. When her mother offered her an iced orange juice, she took it and smiled, opening the small bottle and taking a sip. Soon the room filled with people and the meeting started, and Morgan tried to focus on every word that was said.

* * *

Three hours later, Pepper found her daughter curled up on the beanbag chair, snoring lightly. She bowed and nudged Morgan‘s arm gently, and the child opened her eyes and blinked.

“There you are,” Pepper said, chuckling, “Were you asleep the whole time?”

Morgan shook her head. “I heard you talk about Malibu.”

“So you’ve only been asleep for an hour? Wow, that’s amazing!” Pepper grinned. “You listened to everything and didn’t play with your toys?”

“I made notes.”

“You did what?” Pepper asked confused, the surprise in her voice evident. Only then did she notice the small notebook in her daughter’s hands where she had scribbled away.

Morgan had been keen on learning how to write and read from very early on, but contrary to what people might think she was capable of, being Tony Stark’s child, she had difficulties with it. Pepper had tried to encourage her not to give up, to tell her she would get there eventually, but, as a mother, it had been extremely hard for her to watch her little girl struggle and become frustrated with herself. To see now that she had actually managed to write down a few words that were easily readable touched Pepper so deeply it brought tears to her eyes.

“You wrote... like... Words?”

“Look!”

Pepper crouched down and looked at the letters, then back at her daughter. A grin crept into her stunned expression and she clapped her hands together in glee.

“You did it, baby! You did it.” Leaning forward, she smothered her daughter’s face with kisses. “You did it, you did it, you did it.”

Morgan started giggling uncontrollably.

“You’re so amazing! I knew you could do it,” Pepper squealed, as she pulled her into a hug, tears of joy trickling down her cheeks. “Aw, my heart! Mommy’s so proud of you.”

Morgan tossed her head back and laughed heartily, her arms wrapped around her mother’s neck.

“We have to tell Daddy,” Pepper said, sniffing back tears, and pulled away. “He’ll be so happy to hear it.”

They left the conference room and entered the hallway, Pepper carrying Morgan’s stuff. Morgan walked with her head held high, a sense of pride overwhelming her. She didn’t care if she still didn’t write and read as well as other children. Her mother was proud of her and that was all that mattered to her in this moment. Knowing the things she did made her parents happy was a great feeling. She couldn’t stop grinning.

“What are _you_ smiling about?” Allie asked.

“I can write.”

“You can write?” Allie smiled at the child whose big grin was quite infectious. “That’s awesome! Won’t be long now until you can help your mother with her paper work.”

Morgan looked at Pepper, and Pepper smiled, telling her, “I could really use some help with that, little miss Potts.”

The girl giggled at the mention of Pepper’s maiden name, loving that her mother had actually listened to her before when she had asked her if she could be Morgan Potts today. And today was really exciting. She had so much to tell her father about. The memories she made at Stark Industries were truly unforgettable. If she could become a successful businesswoman like her mom one day, this is the place where she wanted to be. It was so full of love, and life, and exciting things. She understood now why the company was so important to her mother.

Lost in thought, Morgan flinched when the receptionist’s phone rang. “Can I get it this time, Mommy? Please, please, please,” she begged.

“Of course,” Pepper replied, smiling. “Go ahead.”

Picking up the phone, she said in a small voice, “Stark Industries, Pepper Potts’ office, this is Morgan. What can I do for you?” The person on the phone said something and Morgan frowned, thinking. “I don’t know if we can do that. She is very busy.”

“Who is it, Morgan?”

Pepper grinned. She wasn’t worried that her daughter could do anything wrong, say anything she wasn’t supposed to say. Everyone kind of knew who she was; everyone could hear the voice belonged to a kid, so whomever Morgan was talking to had to know this wasn’t a very serious phone call.

“When do you want to come here?” Morgan asked. “Hm.” She crinkled her forehead. “You have to make an appointment with the boss.” She paused briefly. “Like I said, she is very busy, Mr. Stark.”

Pepper laughed softly. “Are you talking to your father?”

“Yes, I think two o’clock is okay,” she said, nodding. Whatever Tony said next made her giggle.

“What is he saying?”

Morgan looked at her and grinned, not answering her but replying to her father instead, “Yes, the idea is great, but they need to be really pretty.”

Again, her daughter emitted a soft giggle, and it drove Pepper almost insane to know they were talking about _her_, but not to know what they were talking _about_.

”Thank you, Mr. Stark. We like doing business with you. Goodbye,” Morgan ended the phone call. She quickly glanced at Allie, who was making an amused face, then looked at her mother. “Mr. Stark arrives at two.”

Laughing, Pepper shook her head. “Can you drop the act for a second, young lady, and tell me what you and your daddy were talking about? I know it was about me, but—“

“Yes, because you are the boss.”

“Yeah, but why did he even call, and what do you mean, they need to be really pretty? _Who_ needs to be really pretty? Did I miss something?” She looked at Allie, and Allie shrugged her shoulders, still smirking.

“Daddy told me not to tell you.”

“Of course he did,” Pepper replied, amused. “So he’ll be here at two?”

Morgan nodded.

“That gives me enough time to bribe you,” she joked.

“With juice pops?”

“With Mommy’s love,” Pepper answered, grinning. “I’ll squeeze you like a lemon until you tell me.“ She put the things she was carrying down on Allie’s desk and pulled Morgan into a hug. The little girl laughed, struggling to get out of her mother’s hold.

“You don’t really like surprises, do you?” Allie guessed, laughing.

“My husband’s surprises usually give me a heart attack,” Pepper said, chuckling. “Although the last time he surprised me was when he awoke from a seven-week coma, so that was a really beautiful surprise.” She gave a genuine smile, one of happiness, and kissed Morgan’s hair. “Alright, Madam Secretary, time for lunch. Then we got more work to do. You can help me answering my emails and when we’re done with that I can show you one of the labs, which is a lot bigger than Daddy’s garage and has even more toys for you to play with.”

Morgan shouted with joy and ran into Pepper’s office. Pepper followed her and closed the door. They ate, they replied to emails together, and they spent several hours in the workshop where Morgan was given a tour of the department. As much as she loved being in Daddy’s garage, watching him work and inventing all these crazy things, being at Stark Industries made her feel like this was really the place where all the magic happened, not just in the lab but everywhere else, too. She loved the people, the atmosphere and the feeling that whatever was done here impacted the whole world.

* * *

Five minutes before the clock struck two, Tony came into the lobby with a large bouquet of roses. The flowers were so huge and full that he couldn’t see where he was going. He cursed, running into a few things and bumping into other people, as he made his way to the front desk. He lowered his arm to look at Ian, then his lips parted so a wide, toothy grin could be seen.

“Hi there, pal. I’m here to see my _wife_.” The emphasis he put on the last word was ridiculous, and he could see how hard Ian was trying not to roll his eyes at him. “And before you ask... No, it’s not her birthday and it’s not our wedding anniversary,” —again, Tony made sure to emphasize the word that tied Pepper to him— “I just like to surprise her every once in a while to show her how much I love being her _husband_.”

“You don’t need my permission to go see the boss, Mr. Stark,” Ian said, faking a smile.

“That’s right, I don’t.” Tony replied, chuckling. “I can see my missus whenever I want.”

“Then please do.” Ian’s voice was a mix between an invitation and a plea. He couldn’t stand to look at Tony’s smug face any longer, but he also didn’t want to come off as rude. So he forced another smile and gave him a nod of the head. “Have a nice day, Mr. Stark.”

“Oh, I will,” Tony answered, flashing his teeth in another big grin. “You wanna know why?”

_No, I don’t_, Ian said to himself.

“Because today’s beach day, and I will just lie back and admire the _view_.” There was a dramatic pause, the look on his face leaving no doubt as to what he meant by that. “My wife in a bikini is...” Tony blew a kiss toward the heavens with a ‘mwah’ sound. “Bellissima!” Laughing at Ian’s expression, he strutted to the elevator. He would never get tired of teasing that boy.

When Tony entered the hallway to Pepper’s office, people chuckled at the sight of him, holding a bouquet that made him appear tiny. He bumped into a few more people before making it to the door. Then he waltzed in like he owned the place—technically, he did—and Pepper’s mouth fell open.

“Where would you like these flowers, Mrs. Stark?” He couldn’t wait to put them down. They were really heavy.

“Oh my God! Are these for me?” She couldn’t even see his face.

Tony barely made it to her desk when he put them down. “Yeah, who else would they be for, Pep? You don’t think I’m having an affair with your receptionist, do you?” He collapsed in one of the settees, and Morgan came to him, lovingly nestling in the crook of his arm. “Are these pretty enough?” The little girl nodded, grinning.

“So that’s what that phone call was about?”

“Mostly, yes. I just asked your little receptionist here if I could drop by a bit earlier than planned, because I had a surprise for you.”

“And this is the surprise?”

“That’s part of it, yeah.”

“What do you mean _part_ of it?” Pepper frowned.

“Your daughter and I... I mean _our_ daughter and I had a little talk and we figured we should spend some more time at the beach in the summer, you know, since we’ve been living in the woods for so long I feel like we don’t even know what a damn beach looks like anymore. So I’ve been doing some thinking and—“

“Daddy bought a house.”

“He bought—“ Pepper stared at her daughter, then at her husband. “You did what?”

“It’s just a small house, Pepper.”

She gave a big sigh and leaned forward, the scent of the flowers conjuring up memories of their wedding. “Define small,” she mumbled.

“Six bedrooms, four bathrooms, a pool and a tennis court, a guest house, and a few other, really _small_ things," he said, stroking Morgan's arm as he spoke. “And a private beach... Or as I like to call it, a paparazzi-free picnic spot by the ocean.”

Pepper raised her head and looked at him. “So you got me these flowers to win me over?”

“No, honey.” Tony chuckled. “I got you these flowers because I love you.” He smiled. “You’re the world’s greatest wife and an even better mom, and Maguna and I are really lucky to have you, so this is just a thank you.” He paused. “I did think you’d be more excited about the house, though. Makes me a little sad that you ain’t.”

“Tony...” She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, then smiled at him. “I... I’m not angry with you, I just want us to talk about these things first before we make a decision.”

“I almost died, Pep. I want us to have nice things and I want us to have them _now_, not some day in the future. And an art studio is a very nice thing to have, don’t you think? Especially for someone like you who’s sooo into that stuff.”

Pepper opened her mouth to say something and closed it again, furrowing her brow, as his words slowly sunk in.

Seeing her mother’s expression, Morgan giggled, eyeing her father who was grinning from ear to ear.

“Mm-hm. You heard that right,” he said with a chuckle. “The place comes with a studio that has breathtaking views of the ocean, so you can actually see us down at the beach while you’re working. And if you’d rather feel a soft breeze to get your creative juices flowing, that’s totally cool, because there’s a deck directly outside the studio.”

He knew about her passion for the arts, visual arts in particular, and how much she had used art as a form of escapism to shield herself from the harsh reality of countless setbacks on the long road of his recovery. Tony didn’t really understand how she could find strength in art, how it encouraged her to keep going, but he knew it made her happy and that was everything he needed to know.

But the part of their cabin that Pepper used to work and make her own art was small, nothing like having an entire room dedicated to her passion, and he wanted her so much to have it. After everything she had been through, he wanted her to have a place to get away from reality—work, life, whatever—whenever she wanted to, even if it meant that he had to do without her for a few days.

Getting up from the settee, he said, “You can still say no, and keep the flowers, but Morgan and I would very much like for you to see it.”

“She knew?” Pepper stared at her daughter, Morgan’s cheeky grin reminding her so much of Tony’s.

He laughed. “She’s way better at keeping secrets than I am.”

“Why are you telling me this now? Why didn’t you wait ‘til later?”

Tony grinned as he came to stand behind her. He slid one arm around her waist and nuzzled the side of her throat, planting little kisses that made her insides melt and her knees go wobbly. One hand moved to the bouquet of flowers, pulling out a small metal frame that Pepper had completely failed to see in the sea of roses.

“I thought you might like to hang this on one of these walls. Let Morgan pick a spot, considering she’s the one who made it.”

“She—“ Pepper’s eyes darted to her child. “This is yours?”

Morgan jumped off the sofa and walked over to her parents. “Daddy took me to the house and—“

“This is the first piece ever made at your oceanfront studio. That is, _if_ you decide to keep the house,” Tony said, smirking.

As Pepper turned around the frame to look at it, she saw a sophisticated work of art. Morgan had hand picked seashells along the Hamptons beaches—imperfect shells that were typically overlooked, naturally shattered by the churning of the sea into shimmering fragments—and carefully cleaned them. Then she had assembled them into a flower-like work of art that was part collage, part mosaic, and part sculpture. It was one of the most beautiful pieces of art Pepper had ever laid eyes on.

“But it’s not even my birthday,” she whispered, feeling herself tear up. She locked eyes with her daughter. “Why did you do this for me?”

Morgan smiled. “I love you and I love to make you happy.”

“This makes me really happy, my darling. _You_ make me so happy,” Pepper said, reaching around Morgan’s shoulder and pulling her against her side.

As she stood next to her, Morgan leaned against Pepper’s chest, feeling the weight of her mother’s chin on her head. “Can we go to the beach house now?”

Pepper’s voice was a little shaky as she answered, “I’d go anywhere in the world with you.”

Tony wrapped his arms around Pepper and Morgan’s body, his lips touching his wife’s hair, a soft kiss. “So would I,” he whispered, sighing deeply.

The love he felt between the two women in his life, and in his heart, moved him to tears. He was always overcome by emotions seeing them together like this. They were the perfect mother-daughter duo, their bond the strongest and deepest he‘d ever witnessed. But he didn’t envy Pepper for the relationship she had with their daughter, because he knew his bond with Morgan was just as special. No one could ever tear apart their family—not even someone as powerful as Thanos was capable of doing that.


End file.
